More than a year after police arrested two men in the 2004 slaying of 56-year-old Eugene Mallove, the evidence was not adding up.

In the ongoing murder trial of Chad Schaffer, 34, of Norwich, several forensic experts testified Monday that they came up empty when trying to match evidence seized from the murder scene against Joseph Reilly and Gary McAvoy — two men initially charged in Mallove’s May 14, 2004, beating death.

Imprint and fingerprint experts who testified Monday said they examined shoe prints on Mallove’s bloodied clothes and unsuccessfully tried to match fingerprints from evidence at the scene. The only match, from a plastic bag inside Mallove’s stolen van, came from Nicholas Gardner — a Norwich man who admitted breaking into Mallove’s van while it was parked outside at the impound lot at the city garage.

With Reilly and McAvoy locked up, veteran state police Detective Terry McFadden testified Monday he started investigating in hopes of bolstering the case. More evidence was sent to the crime lab, and the statements of jailhouse informants came under further scrutiny.

State prosecutor Paul Narducci asked McFadden if he had concerns about the case.

“The arrests were made basically with these two jailhouse informants ... and not a lot of other witnesses to corroborate,” McFadden said.

Murder charges against Reilly and McAvoy were dropped in 2008.

“We decided the best course of action would be to start from square one,” McFadden said.

By 2009, McFadden had joined forces with Norwich cold case investigators as part of a special task force. Billboards were erected announcing the $50,000 reward in the case. Mallove’s family made a public plea for information.

Norwich police Sgt. Corey Poore said the billboard, paid for by Mallove’s family and friends, led to new information.

Eventually, the investigation turned to Schaffer, his girlfriend, Candace Foster and Schaffer’s cousin, Mozzelle Brown. All three now face murder charges.

Schaffer and Candace had lived with Schaffer’s parents, Patricia and Roy Anderson, in the 119 Salem Turnpike home Mallove maintained. The Andersons were evicted a month prior to Mallove traveling from his home in New Hampshire to clean the home out.

On Monday, Schaffer’s cousin, Carrie Schaffer, testified that on the day of Mallove’s death, she had driven by the home and saw men cutting the lawn and throwing items in the Dumpster. Carrie Schaffer had, at one time, lived at the home, and her car was still parked in the driveway.

She testified that she placed a call to Patricia Anderson.

“I just told them they were throwing junk out,” she testified. My main concern was they were going to tow my car out of there,” Schaffer said.

It was the call that police allege precipitated a confrontation with Mallove and Mozzelle Brown, who police allege drove to the home in the evening.

Page 2 of 2 - According to previous testimony from the state’s key witness, Candace Foster, Mozzelle and Schaffer beat Mallove and brought her to the scene to participate in the beating so she would become a part of the crime. Schaffer said the fight was between Brown and Mallove and that his role was minor.